Things I've Learned From Being Grateful
My best friends dad read her diary. We were in 6th grade and the betrayal was significant.
I think everyone who keeps a journal hesitates to put pen to paper for some thoughts. Some thoughts are better left off the page, because of the fear that one day someone might read it.
However, what if you had a gratitude journal and someone picked it up? No one should ever read your journal but imagine if they picked it up and found that your most inner thoughts 😳 were all... amazing, kind, positive and inspiring!
Have you ever heard of a gratitude journal? According to my latest conversation with my little sister aka your S’moo Founder Karagan, a gratitude journal is a place for positivity.
“You can get wrapped up in your day to day and let yourself get angry at the world or you can sit down and remind yourself what you’re grateful for and reshape your mind into something positive.”
- Karagan Osmann, S’moo Founder.
Lately she’s been starting her day with 10-20 minutes of Yoga Flow (yoga that’s more for relaxing and focusing on breathing than it is exhausting) followed by writing in her gratitude journal.
Why am I bringing this up? Because of mental health. Especially right now during this quarantine, where fear and hopelessness are the shadows living in our homes day-to-day, we need to take back control. One of the (unconscious) stressful elements we are dealing with is the break in our routine.
Science explains that our routines are practiced so often, that we don’t have to think about them, we can go through the motions in a relaxed state. Now, with our routines broken, even the simple things are taking more energy because you’re no longer in a routine.
Healthy Mental Health:
Good mental health, involves reaching a balance between life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety can all affect mental health and disrupt a your routine. Which is why I want to dive in and help you start your gratitude journal, so you can stay on track or get back to a healthy balance mentally.
Why a gratitude journal? Why not a diary? A diary is about recording your day, all the good, all the bad (for me, I mostly use it to vent). A gratitude journal is helping you start out your day, by reminding yourself of the positivity you might have forgotten. It is a great way to get your mind and body on track. Open your phone, tablet, computer, or grab a piece of paper and take the time to write down your positive thoughts.
Here are some subject ideas for your gratitude journal:
- Things you’re grateful for today.
- A experience that has shaped you.
- A person you’re thankful for.
- An experience with a person who has made you a better person.
- List a few ways you can share your gratitude with others.
- What skills or abilities are you thankful you have? (A good way to figure this out is to ask yourself, what activities and hobbies would you miss if you were unable to do them?)
- List 3 body parts that you’re grateful for and why.
- List five people in your life that are hard to get along with and write down at least one quality for each that you are grateful for.
- Write a letter to someone who has positively impacted your life, however big or small.
- When is the last time you laughed uncontrollably, relive the memory.
Write it Down!
At first, it’s hard to start something new like waking up in the morning and finding time to write in your journal. Let’s be honest, most people aren’t going to make it happen. But you only need 5-10 minutes. Set a reminder on your phone and do it right when you wake up.
We all know the expression “garbage in, garbage out.” Well, surrounding yourself with positivity will bring more positivity until it starts to be natural, effortless and enjoyable.
Keep in mind that new goals don't deliver new results. New lifestyles do. This is a lifestyle change, a positive one. It’s important to remember that your lifestyle is a process and by putting your energy into better habits, you’ll see positive results.
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